Minutes of Proceedings

The meeting opened at 11.04 am in closed session.

1. Apologies

Mr Ian Paisley Jnr.

11.06 am Mrs Carmel Hanna joined the meeting.

This session was recorded by Hansard.

2. Correspondence – outgoing/incoming

Members noted outgoing correspondence:

• An acknowledgement to Chairperson of the Committee on Procedures.
• A reply to the Bar Council.
• A letter to the First Minister and deputy First Minister sharing, to them, information provided by the Northern Ireland Policing Board.
• A letter to the First Minister and deputy First Minister asking for a further update on the Efficiency Review Panel.
• A letter to the First Minister and deputy First Minister sharing, to them, information provided by the Secretary of State.
• A letter of thanks to the Northern Ireland Policing Board.
• A letter to the Specialist Adviser sharing the information from the Northern Ireland Policing Board.

Members discussed incoming correspondence:

• A letter from the Prime Minister to the First Minister and deputy First Minister providing details of the financial settlement for the devolution of policing and justice.

• An associated letter from the Policing Board, to the First Minister and the deputy First Minister, arising from a special meeting of the Board on 23 October 2009.

• A letter from the Secretary of State, in reply to the Committee’s letter of 7 October 2009, about the costs of the Training College and the destruction of DNA.

• A paper from the Specialist Adviser containing his analysis of the Prime Minister’s letter of 21 October 2009.

• A letter from the First Minister and the deputy First Minister dated 2 November 2009 in response to the Committee’s letter of 7 October 2009.

The Chairman suspended the meeting at 11.25 am.

The Chairman resumed the meeting in closed session at 11.45 am with the following members also present:

Mr Jimmy Spratt (Chairperson)
Mr Alex Attwood
Mr Nigel Dodds
Mr Simon Hamilton
Mrs Carmel Hanna
Mr Danny Kennedy
Mr Alan McFarland
Mr Alex Maskey
Mr John O’Dowd

Agreed: Members agreed that copies of the Specialist Adviser’s paper should be provided to the First Minister and the deputy First Minister, the Minister for Finance and Personnel and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

The Committee moved into public session at 11.47am.

3. Minutes of Proceedings of meeting held on 20 October 2009

Members agreed the Minutes of Proceedings of the meeting held on 20 October 2009.

4. Matters Arising

There were no matters arising.

This session was recorded by Hansard.

5. Devolution of Policing and Justice matters

Committee Briefing Paper 11/08/09 – Twenty First Revision – Consideration of the Category Two List of Issues

In relation to the issue of the devolution of policing and justice matters, the Chairperson declared the following interests:

• Member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board

The Chairperson invited Members to declare their relevant interests.

Members declared the following interests:

Alex Attwood

• Member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board

Alex Maskey

• Member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board

Members considered the Category Two List of Issues.

Members discussed issue A of the Category Two List, regarding the appointment of an Attorney General.

On a proposal from Mr Attwood that:

“At a suitable date within the next four weeks, the Attorney General designate be invited to attend a meeting of the Committee in order to discuss issues in respect of his future office.”

Question put: At a suitable date within the next four weeks, the Attorney General designate be invited to attend a meeting of the Committee in order to discuss issues in respect of his future office.

The Committee divided. Ayes 4; Noes 3; Abstentions 2.

The proposal accordingly passed.

Members discussed issue New F on the Category Two List, regarding the Ashdown Report on Parading.

On a proposal from Mr Attwood that:

“The Committee writes to Lord Ashdown to invite him to appear before the Committee to discuss his report.”

Question put : The Committee writes to Lord Ashdown to invite him to appear before the Committee to discuss his report.

The Committee divided. Ayes 7; Noes 2; Abstentions 0.

The proposal accordingly passed.

Agreed: Members agreed to send a letter to the Secretary of State; asking him to clarify his up to date position on the Report on the Strategic Review of Parading in Northern Ireland.

12.09 am Mr Nigel Dodds left the meeting.

Members discussed issue New D of the Category Two List, regarding the maintenance of North/South policing and justice agreements.

On a proposal from Mr Attwood that:

“The Committee endorses that there should be a Justice Sector of the North South Ministerial Council.”

Question put : The Committee endorses that there should be a Justice Sector of the North South Ministerial Council.

The Committee divided. Ayes 4; Noes 4; Abstentions 0.

The proposal accordingly fell

Members discussed the matter of outstanding Memoranda of Understanding and Protocols requested by the Committee and considered a paper tabled by the Committee Clerk.

Agreed: On a proposal from Mr Attwood, Members agreed to table a Committee motion

“That this Assembly calls on the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to provide, to the Northern Ireland Assembly, all the Memoranda of Understanding, Protocols and Concordats which will apply, at the point of devolution of policing and justice matters, forthwith.”

6. Chairs Business

Members noted that the deputy Chairperson of the Committee, Mr Raymond McCartney had attended a lunch with the Luxemburg Ambassador on Monday, 2 November 2009.

7. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting will be held on Monday, 9 November 2009 at 3.30 pm, in Room 21 in closed session.

The Committee moved back into closed session at 11.24 am.

12.26 am Mr Raymond McCartney rejoined the meeting.
12.30 am Mr Nigel Dodds rejoined the meeting.

Members discussed the arrangements for the meeting with the First Minister and deputy First Minister on 10 November 2009.

Agreed: Members agreed to convene a meeting of the Committee in closed session, at 3:30pm on Monday 9 November 2009, to be briefed by officials from the Northern Ireland Office and the Department of Finance and Personnel and thereafter by the Specialist Adviser.

Agreed: Members agreed to convene a meeting of the Committee in closed session at 10:30am on Tuesday 10 November 2009, to be briefed by the First Minister and deputy First Minister.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.35 pm.

Mr Jimmy Spratt
Chairperson, Assembly and Executive Review Committee
09 November 2009